‘Anchorman 2’ to have a classy weekend

The man who managed to make the trinity of obnoxiousness – misogyny, dimwittedness and frustratingly perfect hair – hilariously lovable in 2004 is back for another crassly classy good time. Will Ferrell has reprised his role as ‘70’s newsman Ron Burgundy for Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, which opened wide in 3,450 locations on Wednesday.

Ferrell and director Adam McKay’s first Anchorman was by no means a box-office success, earning roughly $85 million domestically and failing to generate any international business to speak of. The film only found a dedicated audience once it was released on DVD, quickly becoming the kind of cult favorite many a high-schooler spent his, and her, lunch period quoting.

Hollywood, however, was a little slow to catch up. Anchorman may have found new life post-theatrical release, but given its tepid b.o. performance, studio execs at Paramount were initially hesitant to green-light a sequel. The fact that several of the film’s stars have become more popular over the last decade – most notably Steve Carell, who helmed his own cult hit, TV series “The Office – probably played a large role in overcoming the kind of bottom-line hesitancy that kept Anchorman 2 in limbo for years. Not that Paramount, once committed, minded waging an expensive marketing campaign on the movie’s behalf. Have all those Dodge Durango commercials piqued viewers’ interest? The weekend before Christmas is notoriously tough for new releases, but Anchorman 2 is still expected to earn between $40 and $50 million for the five-day spread.

Actually, so is The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Few pundits have been able to discuss Smaug without mentioning its inability to generate the same kind of boffo revenue as its predecessor, last year’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (even though Smaug has earned superior reviews). Yet Peter Jackson’s second Lord of the Rings prequel is still drawing sizable crowds. It wouldn’t be a Christmas miracle if Smaug managed to out-gross Anchorman 2 this weekend.

CG-animated kids’ film Walking with Dinosaurs will likely land at the bottom of the weekend’s list of top earners. Frozen continues to pose fierce competition, and will probably keep Dinosaurs from grossing more than $10 or $12 million.

Specialty enthusiasts who do not live in either New York or LA (a tough position for a specialty enthusiast) will be treated to Christmas-come-early today. Both American Hustle and Saving Mr. Banks are expanding, to 2,500 and 2,200 locations, respectively. David O. Russell’s Oscar favorite had the fourth-best per-theatre average when it opened in limited release last weekend. Given the loud buzz surrounding the flick, it should earn upwards of $15 million.

Last but by no means the least interesting, Spike Jonze’s Her, about a man who falls in love with a computer operating system (not as crazy as it sounds, considering the computer’s voice belongs to Scarlett Johansson), also bows in six locations today. The film is on track to expand wide on January 10^th.   

High school dropout documentary will be created with input from social media

Historically, films have been created for an audience, but totally separate from their input. Except for people inside the business re-reading screenplays and maybe some re-shoots after a test screening, films are complete and totally unseen before they hit theatres. I don't see a way for this system to change anytime soon, but documentaries, instead of fictional features, may find a way around this system. Adam McKay (who often produces Will Ferrell films and co-founded FunnyorDie.com) will produce an untitled documentary about high school dropouts that will develop with input from social media. Jason Pollock, who directed The Youngest Candidate, will helm the project.

This isn't the first time a documentary has tried to harness the power of social media. Life in a Day was created by editing together YouTube clips viewers had uploaded from around the world--all taken on the same day. This untitled high school dropout documentary has the potential for even further reach, because it centers on a social problem. "Issue" docs strive to create dialogue and activism after viewers exit the theatre. This doc will engage them before it even reaches a 90-minute cut. Since such films are often composed of discrete clips anyway, it would make sense if the director posted a clip, then incorporated the feedback he received on the clip into the movie as responses. I think there is a lot of potential to play around and create something innovative. McKay's background in both film and viral videos should give this project an extra lift.

Pollock reportedly will focus on teachers and students. Students, especially, have fully embraced social media. I bet teenagers will be more frank over the Internet than they would be if confronted with an adult and camera in person. Social media was originally designed as a way for people to keep in touch with their friends. Many attempts to monetize or create brand tie-ins using social media feel forced. This project doesn't, and that may be the key to its success.